1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatic coin-operated card or ticket dispensing machinery. More particularly it concerns an improved and more reliable machine for electrically dispensing cards or tickets from several columns without the occurrence of down time due to jamming.
2. Discussion of prior art
Prior devices for dispensing tickets or cards from a column or stack have typically relied on complex mechanisms that include noisy and unreliable components such as solenoids. For example, Ackerman's automatic coin-operated card dispenser (U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,035) uses a cam activated pusher plate to push bingo or lottery cards from stacks in which the cards are horizontally disposed. It also contains a continuously operating electric motor driving a conveyor belt and a set of nip rollers, solenoids to cock a pusher plate mechanism, switches activated by the motion of the pusher plates, a switch-activated clutch, and cams activated by the clutch closure.
Such devices are inherently unreliable because they have many moving components. Any one of the components may fail. Moreover, all of these components must be kept in proper timing and proper alignment adjustment with respect to one another. When timing or alignment of the components is off, the machine will at best not operate and may even become damaged if the internal parts collide with one another. Resulting down time causes loss of sales and also the cost of making service calls.
A further characteristic of prior card dispensing machines has been a problem created when one of the stacks of cards becomes exhausted or jammed. When this happens, the customer loses his coin and becomes annoyed. Someone must place an "out of service" sign on the machine. Jamming may also necessitate service calls. Finally, the noisiness of prior machines is objectionable in many locations and thus a reason against permitting the machines to be placed and kept in such locations.